Wondering if I could get a little help trying to figure out Fertilizer vs Filamentous Algae.

We bought a place with a 1 acre pond last fall. It did not have any weed problems to speak of last year and surprisingly had a decent ecosystem established between LMB, Sunnies and CC.

I fertilized this year for the first time ever. I did my water tests etc. Everything was near where it was supposed to be as far as I could tell. We got great blooms but starting in July we've gotten a ton of filamentous algae (all in the 3ft or less depth which is to be expected)

So....the information out there say fertilize to get a bloom to block the sun. But it also says adding nutrients to the system encourages FA. As far as errors, I know that I let the bloom die down some for a week or so because it seems that fishing was easier without it.

1. Is FA just a byproduct of fertilizing and there's not much you can do?

2. Did I screw up by letting the bloom "die" off for a week or two?

3. Is it just perception that fishing is more difficult with only 18" of clarity?

4. Do I keep fertilizing this year to keep the bloom going or am I just going to end up feeding the FA and making it worse?

5. I've read a ton on Talipia. I'm thinking this sounds like a great idea for 2015 but I've yet to find a place near Mid-TN that sells them by the pound instead of by the individual. 10-15#s of Talipia bought by the individual is going to be a massive dollar amount. Is there a decent way to go get em all before they die off other then a ton of rod/reel?

6. The pond is not aerated, but I've got an aerator budget worked into the system for 2015. Will this make a big difference with FA or not? I'd kinda like to change one variable at a time so I know if an aerator or Talipia is the answer?


I've ordered the magazine and the pond basics book and read way to many hours online but haven't been able to figure out if what I'm experiencing is what's supposed to happen or if I've done something wrong? I appreciate all the feedback and the members of this forum that have built such a resource for us readers. Just an FYI, I was not able to get many of the links in the FAQ to open. They all said the site couldn't find the content.

Thanks!!

Start here from the archives

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92633#Post92633

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=96127#Post96127

1. Not necessarily.

2. A possibility but not a big chance as more would be needed. FA on the surface starts months before you see it. All plants require light. Light penetrating to the bottom (even in shallow water) can lead to FA.

3. It can be as its harder to see.

4. It is about time to stop fertilizing in your location - read the links.

5. Some tilapia would be good but time is short for them this year in your location.

6. The effect of aeration on plankton blooms and water mixing is an interesting topic - and one worth discussing.

Get in touch with Rex [Rainman] here--he comes through MTenn regularly and is a great source for Tilapia [and a lot of other fish as well].

I've had two experiences with my one acre pond eliminating FA.

POND ONE:
1. With 18 grass carp that virtually eliminated most underwater plants which would use up nutrients that would fuel FA, and make FA worse,,,I used.....

2. 20 KOI, 6 Israeli carp and to a lesser extent Channel catfish that ate the FA.

3. I had large mouth bass that kept the KOI and Israeli carp numbers exactly to the 20 KOI and 6 Israeli cap over many years so that carp didn't take over the pond.

The only reason I don't have this setup today is a winter kill eliminated all of these fish. So I started over with a new pond concept to eliminate FA and have a clear water pond and FA free pond.

POND TWO:
1. Just a few GC to somewhat keep underwater plants in check but the plants are one of the keys to keeping the water clear. Clams also filter the water for clarity.

2. Frogs to produce lots of tadpoles. Tadpoles, lots of them, are veracious eaters of FA. Also snails help somewhat.

3. No fish are allowed that would stir the bottom to effect the water clearness, like carp, channel catfish, etc. No predictors that would eat the frogs or tadpoles. So I was left with minnows, Fatheads, Golden Shiners and some Bluegills.

Pond Two also worked but again I had winter kill and I am now working to build back the tadpole numbers.

See with my back ground there is a very big difference between the nutrients that are soluble and others that are there tied up with one and other.

Most all testing is a guess unless you know how all the bonds are put together by volume and true PH. With a bio system like a pond everyone should try to have a very high buffer for their PH. This buffer will stabilize the PH preventing to much nutrients becoming available all at once. If your PH is below 7.2 you have a different bunch of nutrients available than if your PH is above 7.2.

Long story lone I really believe one should never fertilize their pond with out adding calcium carbonate. One mol per one mol or one molecular weight to one molecular weight on % of solubility.

With my experience in the agricultural industry compounds that are balanced can have a very high electrical conductivity yet be perfectly balanced and non corrosive. Look at milk. It can take the finish off your table but you can drink it. It is a balanced colloidal substance and will not burn.

Cheers Don.

Buffer to PH? Can you give a simplified/short explanation how to buffer? Is the fertilizer without calcium carbonate the "buffer"?

FnC, calcium carbonate (ag lime) "buffers" (slows/reduces) pH swings when plants respire, giving off carbon dioxide that changes into carbonic acid...the calcium neutralizes the acid as the acid forms, "buffering" the pH drop.

John, if that combination did such a good job, why didn't you restock your pond with the same fish after the winterkill?

What's in it now?

Esshup I proved to myself that Zetts natural pond concept was correct. Now that I had a clean pond because of the winter kill it was time to move on. Pond two's concept of clear water without Filamentous Algae. I achived that last year with only minnows and bluegills as my fish, except for 7 grass carp to somewhat control too excessive submerged pants. I had so many tadpoles to control the FA that when they go to the bottom and rise to the top of the water, I have no idea why, my pond looked like it was raining big droplets. Despite having large groups of Redwing Black bird nesting at night in my cattails and producing large amounts of fertilizer the pond had only traces of FA. So I am in the process of rebuilding up my tadpoles. No predators are allow in the pond as they would eat the tadpoles and frogs.

So why not pond one again, been there and done that.

Thank you guys for your suggestions. I appreciate all the input and hope to work on it going forward. The forum is filled with a vast amount of knowledge.